SECORE partners with For The Reef Apparel

June 01, 2018 -
Announcement

For The Reef Apparel has joined our mission to conserve and restore coral reefs. For The Reef offers customers high quality, microplastic-free clothing and will contribute proceeds of sales to support coral restoration.

For The Reef was founded by marine scientist Mitch Dender, who was fascinated by the Earth's aquatic ecosystems from a very young age and has witnessed the devastating effects that climate change and pollution are having on coral reefs. "Acrylic, polyester, spandex and many more of the plastic-derived fabrics used in our clothing today are polluting our precious fresh and saltwater environments. With every wash, microplastic particles are released from clothing, harming aquatic life and inevitably us", says Mitch Dender.

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Photo: For The Reef Apparel

To tackle these issues, For The Reef utilizes microplastic-free fabrics (bamboo, cotton, hemp, linen etc.) that not only are very comfortable to wear but also do not contribute to microplastic pollution. The clothing company services a community of like-minded individuals who care about the natural environment and want to help restore our planets coral reefs through conscious buying decisions. For each item purchased, For The Reef will directly contribute to the funding of SECORE's goal to transplant one million baby corals into the wild.

"Imagine something you are so in love with disappearing from the planet and feeling as though there was nothing you could do to help. For me, the rare beauty of the coral reefs was only part of this love story. A living structure, symbiotic in nature but critical to the mass diversity found in a world we barely understand. It’s difficult to express the feeling of gratitude I get when I see a coral reef. As such, I felt as though it was my duty to help", says Mitch Dender.

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Photo: Mitch Dender, founder of For The Reef Apparel

SECORE International is supporting this business and conservation initiative: "It is everyone’s responsibility to care for coral reefs through conscious behaviors, even if you live far away from the ocean. For The Reef provides a great alternative that helps our oceans without any compromise on the quality and appeal of the product. The clothes are beautiful. You can make a difference by purchasing microplastic-free clothing", says Dr. Dirk Petersen, founder and Executive Director of SECORE International.

The funding provided by For the Reef will help SECORE to outplant a growing number of young corals in various locations and reefs around the globe.

Editor's note: This article was changed after its publication. The original version stated that "For The Reef will contribute to the funding of 10 corals per purchase or otherwise described as one Seeding Unit". This wording was confusing as of the 10 or more coral settlers on a Seeding Unit usually only one survives and will grow into a coral colony. (August 23, 2018)